Interchangeable footwear system

ABSTRACT

An interchangeable footwear system comprising a shoe assembly including: (a) a base shoe; (b) interchangeable covers, in which any one of a plurality of said covers are adapted to allow fitting to said base shoe forming an assembly so as to change the appearance and use environment of said shoe assembly.

The present invention relates to shoes and more particularly to shoesadapted to accept a range of interchangeable covers so as to alterappearance.

BACKGROUND

Footwear has long come to serve additional functions to that of mereutility. The desirability for variations of style, colour anddecoration, particularly in the areas of children's, ladies' and sportrelated footwear requires the purchase of multiple pairs of shoes.Moreover, to change from one style or appearance of footwear to anotherwhile away from home, requires that additional bulky pairs of shoes aretaken along.

It is an object of the present invention to address or ameliorate atleast one of the above disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Accordingly, in one broad form of the invention there is provided aninterchangeable footwear system comprising a shoe assembly including

-   -   (a) a base shoe    -   (b) interchangeable covers        in which any one of a plurality of said covers are adapted to        allow fitting to said base shoe forming an assembly so as to        change the appearance and use environment of said shoe assembly.

Preferably said base shoe comprises a sole portion and an upper portion.

Preferably said sole portion is provided with an upwardly extendingperimeter rim portion.

Preferably said upwardly extending perimeter rim portion is providedwith a first mating element.

Preferably said interchangeable covers are provided with a second matingelement along the lower perimeter of said covers,

Preferably said first mating element is female.

Preferably said first mating element is male.

Preferably said second mating element is male.

Preferably said second mating element is female.

Preferably said first and second mating elements are substantiallyV-shaped in section.

Preferably said V-shaped sections of said mating elements are providedwith matching protrusions and recesses so as to provide a snap-fit whensaid cover is assembled to said base shoe.

Preferably said base shoes are provided in a range of shapes, and sizes.

Preferably said covers are provided in a matching range of shapes andsizes adapted to fit said base shoes.

Preferably said covers are provided in a range of colours and patterns.

Preferably said base shoe and said covers are made from any of aselection of materials, said selection including leather, canvas,rubber, plastic and other synthetic materials.

Preferably a one of said covers includes an indicia-receiving portion.

Preferably said indicia-receiving portion is adapted to displaypromotional indicia.

In a further broad form of the invention there is provided a method ofaltering the appearance of a shoe, said method comprising utilising theinterchangeable footwear system of any preceding claim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a base shoe according to anembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a shoe cover according a preferredembodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a detail of a cross section of the mating system between baseshoe and cover according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A first preferred embodiment of a interchangeable footwear systemaccording to the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.1 and 2.

A base shoe 10 is provided with a sole 11 and upper portion 12. Sole 11is further provided around its perimeter with an upwardly extending rimportion 13. Both sole 11 and upper portion 12 may be constructed fromconventional shoe materials including leather, canvas, rubber, plasticand other synthetic materials.

Preferably rim portion 13 is formed from a moulded resilient materialand forms a first mating element 14.

With reference to FIG. 2, shoe cover 15 consists of a sheath open at itsunderside 16 and provided around its lower perimeter 17 with secondmating element 18. Cover 15 is adapted to slip over the upper portion 12of base shoe 10 with first and second mating elements 14 and 18 engagingso as to retain cover 15 on base shoe 10.

FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of mating elements 14 and 18 wherethe perimeter rim portion 13 of base shoe sole 11 is provided withfemale moulded engagement means 19 and the lower perimeter 17 of cover15 is provided with moulded male engagement means 20.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, sole portion female engagement means 19 isprovided with a substantially V-shaped section 21 having projections 22and recesses 23 along both inner surfaces of the V. Upper portion 15male engagement means 20 has matching V-shaped section 24 with likeprojections 25 and recesses 26 such that the projections 22 and recesses23 of sole portion female engagement means 19 provide a snap fit withrecesses 26 and projections 25 of upper portion male engagement means.

Preferably lower perimeter 17 may be provided with waterproofing lip 27so as to prevent ingress of water into the engagement means.

Preferably base shoes 10 may be provided with a plainly constructedupper portions 12 providing no more than a scaffold for the addition ofcovers. Alternatively, upper portions 12 of base shoes 10 may be adaptedto a particular appearance or use environment.

In a further preferred embodiments covers may be provided with logos orother proprietary indicia, or otherwise personalized to reflect aninterest or taste of the wearer.

In use, covers are made available in a matching range of sizes andshapes to suit base shoes. A wearer may purchase a pair of base shoeswith or without one or more covers. Further covers may be purchasedsubsequently.

Although the above description refers to shoes it will be understoodthat the concept of the invention may be applied to other forms offootwear including boots and certain configurations of sandals.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention andmodifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made theretowithout departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

1. An interchangeable footwear system comprising a shoe assemblyincluding (a) a base shoe (b) interchangeable covers in which any one ofa plurality of said covers are adapted to allow fitting to said baseshoe forming an assembly so as to change the appearance and useenvironment of said shoe assembly.
 2. The interchangeable footwearsystem of claim 1 wherein said base shoe comprises a sole portion and anupper portion.
 3. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 2 whereinsaid sole portion is provided with an upwardly extending perimeter rimportion.
 4. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 4 wherein saidupwardly extending perimeter rim portion is provided with a first matingelement.
 5. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 4 wherein saidinterchangeable covers are provided with a second mating element alongthe lower perimeter of said covers,
 6. The interchangeable footwearsystem of claim 5 wherein said first mating element is female.
 7. Theinterchangeable footwear system of claim 6 wherein said first matingelement is male.
 8. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 7wherein said second mating element is male.
 9. The interchangeablefootwear system of claim 8 wherein said second mating element is female.10. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 9 wherein said firstand second mating elements are substantially V-shaped in section. 11.The interchangeable footwear system of claim 10 wherein said V-shapedsections of said mating elements are provided with matching protrusionsand recesses so as to provide a snap-fit when said cover is assembled tosaid base shoe.
 12. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 11wherein said base shoes are provided in a range of shapes, and sizes.13. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 12 wherein said coversare provided in a matching range of shapes and sizes adapted to fit saidbase shoes.
 14. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 13 whereinsaid covers are provided in a range of colours and patterns.
 15. Theinterchangeable footwear system of claim 1 wherein said base shoe andsaid covers are made from any of a selection of materials, saidselection including leather, canvas, rubber, plastic and other syntheticmaterials.
 16. The interchangeable footwear system of claim 1 wherein aone of said covers includes an indicia-receiving portion.
 17. Theinterchangeable footwear system of claim 16 wherein saidindicia-receiving portion is adapted to display promotional indicia. 18.A method of altering the appearance of a shoe, said method comprisingutilising the interchangeable footwear system of claim 1.